This place was recommended to me by a friend who has stayed here before. It is walking distance to Grand Hirafu Mountain Center. So location wise it is quite good. But do note that Grand Hirafu Mountain Center is not that friendly for beginners as there are patches of flats for the green run. Hanazono Resort has a green run that is more enjoyable. There is a free shuttle every 20mins and the pickup/ drop off is just opposite Fresh Powder! Fresh Powder is managed by Niseko Portfolio which I have to mention, did provide great services, including some very useful suggestion on the slopes, etc. *Thank you Mark, Sam, Curtis and Wataro for our pleasant stay :) Do take advantage of the supermarket visit as we were able to grab some amazing stuff and cook our own meals. But was slightly surprised that soy sauce was not provided! It can get a bit chilly inside the apartment (about 19 degree Celsius). We were fine with that but do be aware. I found the futon provided for the 3rd guest to be uncomfortable. I was just thinking - why cant they get a simple sofa bed from IKEA? Slight issue with the washing machine, it was not straight forward to turn on the power but I did manage to figure it after many attempts. Strangely, it can be switched on after rapidly pressing the 3 power button, together with the water heater switch. Other than that the apartment was fine and it was clean when we checked in. Only two units are on the lower floor, we got the top floor so if you have heavy luggage, you will have to lug them up on 3 flights of stairs. No restaurant within a stone throw but we did find a couple, including the famous Niseko Ramen (with Potatoes) about 10min walk away. We had the one bedroom apartment which can accommodate 3 people but I understand the studio can too (but it was not available). That would be a cheaper option. They can also set up a Sony Playstation upon request. Overall, did enjoy our stay at Fresh Powder and liked the location. So will consider coming back again.…
We went Niseko for New Year Celebration so it is default to be expensive. Niseko Powder check in is easy and quick. Huge, clean, bed is comfortable. Living room and Kitchen is very spacious for family gathering and kitchen is well equipment. Walking distance to Lawson, shops and restaurants. Just 3 mins walk to slope and the firework in the slope on the New Year Eve is magnificent. So yes, it is as expensive as other holiday apartments in the area. I prefer Niseko Powder first floor apartment as everything is on same floor and no need to climb the stairs. I tried another one but rooms are split to three different floors which is not so convenience.
5min walk to Hirafu gondola (especially helpful during lunch when the cafeteria is crazily packed, you can simply walk back and prepare a quick meal). Also great that it is just a 15min walk from the main intersection where you can find many restaurants and ski shops. Place is pretty big for a couple to stay and it’s nice to have a well equipped kitchenette. Love it that the team running the place provides a one time ferrying service to the supermarket and leaves you there to shop for an hour before coming back to pick you up.
Our 7- night stay in the 2-bedroom unit #3 was perfect. It’s spacious and clean with a full kitchen and a washer/dryer, and it’s literally less than a five minute walk to the Grand Hirafu Gondola. The skiing was incredible, btw: massive quantities of amazing light powder in wide-open bowls and in fabulous glades. The people here are friendly and polite. I’ve been skiing for over 40 years throughout the Western US and Canada - from Revelstoke, B.C. to Taos, N.M. to Mammoth Mountain, CA - and in Italy, Austria, and Switzerland. The overall experience in Niseko is comparable to what you may find in Europe, with some differences which are illustrated with the following two vignettes: In Switzerland, the signage at the chairlift top-ramp typically reads, “Attention: Unload Here.” - it’s a kind of directive. In Japan it reads, “A place to get off of the chair,” like it’s a polite suggestion. In both Austria and Japan there are hooded chairlifts. In Austria, many of the chairlift seats are heated; in Niseko, many of the toilet seats are. This was our first ski trip to Japan; we’re coming back to Niseko next winter and will once again stay at Fresh Powder Apartments. Two hints: pack a roll of your own paper towels; we couldn’t find any here. And bring your own half & half creamers if you like real dairy instead of hydrogenated vegetable oils in your coffee; we couldn’t find any here either. …
Our group of 6 had a great time staying at the Fresh Powder 3 bedroom apartment in Hirafu! A quick walk to the slopes with our gear was key, while the walk in to town was very quick as well. The apartment was spotless with a nice sized living space, lower level ski storage and drying room, washer/dryer and comfortable bedrooms - we'd stay here again!
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